One night with a ‘secret society’
PREVIOUSLY we had gone on a visit to Solaire Resort Entertainment City’s BRB bar, which proudly features a Prohibition Era-theme, complete with cocktails named ironically for pro-Prohibition figures. On March 12, we leaned into the idea of “vice” for an hour or so with a tasting of a line of cigars named for Solaire, and bourbon whiskeys from Westward; one of the events of the Leaf & Barrel Society.
The line of cigars, the Solaire Uncut Robusto Colección, comes from Davidoff. Davidoff Uncut Cigars stand apart for their distinctive unfinished foot, allowing aficionados to experience the cigar’s filler tobacco in its purest form before the wrapper gradually comes into play. The Solaire Uncut Colección includes the Grand Cru Robusto, Nicaragua Robusto, and Winston Churchill Late Hour.
“It takes six to seven years of aging before the releasing [of the cigars],” said Daniel Blais, director of beverage for Solaire properties, in a speech. “There are only seven places in the world (that) have these cigars.”
We had a go at the Winston Churchill, which costs P3,900 apiece (the Grand Cru is P2,900, the Nicaragua Robusto is P3,300; all of them are offered in boxes of three, six, and 12). We had previously learned not to inhale when enjoying a cigar, but we haven’t quite figured out the complexities of cutting the tip and lighting it yet, so it was a relief that attendants were going around and doing that for us with a special cutting tool and a torch (our attendant also made the cigar choice for us). The Churchill — named after the cigar-chomping British prime minister — had notes of cedarwood, spices, and leather (and a little bit of cocoa; thanks, attendant, for the information).
As for the evening’s whiskey pairing, we were introduced to American distillery Westward Whiskey, its operations centered in Portland, Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest. We had a go through several tasting glasses of whiskey, and here we are listing what impressions we had after that.
The Westward ASM 45% was almost like rum in its sweetness, while the Westward ASM Pinot Noir Cask 45%, arguably the most sophisticated in the bunch, had a note of dark candied fruit (like plums). The Stout Cask 46% had a bit of a rye bread flavor, and a surprising breakfast note that reminded us of Milo. The Cask Strength 63% was sweet and spicy, with some notes of ginger — but boy, what heat! The heat, though, proved necessary, because the sweet notes in this whiskey would have made it seem like I was drinking syrup. Finally, the James E. Pepper 1776 Bourbon Barrel Proof Decanted 53% had a deeply woody scent, a very Southern scent, in fact, almost like I was in Louisiana — it helps define the American whiskey as a genre with sweetness, wood, and heat all in 30 ml.
This is the way of life for the Leaf & Barrel Society, which Solaire created in August last year.
Membership is free, and you can become a member by attending an event. These pairings and tastings are held every two weeks, and an event costs about P3,900, with a tasting selection of five whiskies, and Mr. Blais joking that he’ll light the cigar for you.
It is a way to show off their vast collections: Mr. Blais said that they have the largest selection of whiskies and Cuban cigars in the country (thanks to Cold War-era embargoes, not to mention recent natural disasters that destroyed up to 30% of the plantations, the cigars are now harder to get than ever).
Their whiskies number about 400, with Mr. Blais saying that they have some rare ones, a testament to quality, not just quantity. For example, the Macallan 50 only has 400 bottles in the world (and they have it). Another selection from the same distillery only has 72 bottles in the world — and they have three bottles.
As for their cigars, they have between 120 and 150 varieties.
“It’s about education, so we learn. But it’s also not a masterclass. It is to learn, to drink, to smoke, and have a good time,” said Mr. Blais. — Joseph L. Garcia
